Nearly 2 Dozen Newark Fire Officials Promoted

Nearly two dozen members of the Newark Fire Department were promoted during a ceremony Tuesday at St. Lucy’s Church, a ceremony that also introduced the 35 members of the department’s current fire academy class.

Chief John Centanni told the newly promoted officers and recruits to respect the department’s traditions but also to be innovators willing to experiment with different methods.

“Have the courage and conviction to bring something new to the table,” Centanni said.

“I am chief of the Newark Fire Department and of the bravest firefighters in the nation.”

The city’s business administrator, Julien Neals, praised the ingenuity and spontaneous teamwork of the members of the fire service, recalling how firefighters tackled a particularly delicate problem: how to remove the remains of five victims of a horrific Vailsburg fire last summer while “preserving their dignity.”

“One of the things I always say to myself is, ‘think like a firefighter,’” said Neals, who has been the city’s point person in negotiations with the 600-member department’s unions. “You all every day are working on how to get things done, how to work collectively, how to save lives.” 

“You must fix yourselves in reverence for this tradition, because now you are a part of it,” said Mayor Cory Booker. “Political leaders may come and go, but great institutions remain.”

The following members were promoted to the rank of deputy fire chief: Paul Bartelloni, Rufus Jackson, Anthony Castellucio, Richard Gail and James Wendt. Matthew Cordasco, Gerard Caprio, Michael Foy, Michael Gibbons and Albert De Leon were all named battalion chief. Promoted to captain were Delfin Ortiz, Vincent Capriglione, Daniel Iberer, Furqan Stroughn, Wyndell Cooper, Joseph Gathard, Maurice Bullock, Thomas Buffaloe, Rafael Scanziani, Krzysztof Sroka, Helder Fonseca, Yves Pierre and Vincent Blasco.

The members of the 42nd recruit class of the Newark Fire Department are expected to graduate in August, Capt. John Brown said.